The Value of Lullabies
by Thee Sun
Summary: Annabeth didn't actually need any protection, but Piper still felt to urge to protect her. Femslash, Piper/Annabeth, Pipabeth. Followed by a sequel, Forever Friends, Never Lovers


**Pairings: Pipabeth **

**Side-pairings: One-sided Jasiper, Jeyna **

**Summary: Annabeth didn't actually need any protection, but Piper still felt the urge to protect her. **

**A.N: Well this one was a project! I hope you have as much fun reading it as I had writing it! **

* * *

Piper loved it when her father told her stories. He would read her the most amazing books, tales from faraway places, times long ago, or just from his childhood. Many times, it would be an old Cherokee legend that his own father had told him, long ago. Sometimes, after Piper's father told her a story, he'd sing her a lullaby. These were her favorite times. Admittedly, her father was not the world's best singer, but when he sang to her, she felt special and loved. It made her feel important. It wasn't always the same. Sometimes he would sing "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star", other times it would be, "You Are My Sunshine", and sometimes it would be, "Love You Forever", or even "Not While I'm Around." She felt the happiest when her father's off key voice was singing just for her.

Just as seemed to be Piper's luck, the lullabies couldn't last forever; on the contrary, they started to decline in frequency as his acting career took off. Once he was completely off the ground, they ceased completely. Sometimes he would still tell her stories when they had outings, but by the time Piper was ten, her father was no longer there to sing her a song and tuck her in. She started to feel unimportant, and unloved, and that's when she started acting up. She had to fight for every scrap of attention she could get her hands on.

* * *

By the time Piper was fifteen, she had to resort to some fairly drastic measures in order to get her father's attention. She'd had to insult teachers, shoplift small items and most recently, steal a car. The worst part was that she didn't even get any negative attention. Her father just seemed _disappointed _in her and he shipped her off to Wilderness School.

When she arrived, she met Leo Valdez, a trouble maker who would eventually become her best friend, and a handsome boy who never broke a rule. She honestly couldn't for the life of her figure out how the hell he had ended up at a _reformatory _school. Needless to say, after months of seducing him, well, trying at least, she finally got him to kiss her and it felt fantastic. He was attractive and she liked him and it felt like a dream come true. Someone liked her for her and not for her looks or her dad's fame and the attention felt more superb than anything she'd known since her dad had sung her lullabies. But honestly, she should have known that it was too good to last.

* * *

It was earth shattering when Piper learned that her memories of Jason were false. No one had ever liked her romantically before she'd met Jason, and now she was once again in that predicament. No one had ever given her attention just for being herself, but if it was any consolation, Annabeth was kind, and Piper loved the attention that she was giving her. Annabeth validated her problems.

"You have a right to be sad," she said, "I know that I would be if I found out that my relationship was a lie." It actually reminded her of the sort of thing that she'd want a boyfriend to do for her, just to be there for her without saying any of this, "It'll be okay," shit because sometimes it wasn't. Sometimes everything wasn't okay.

* * *

This was one of the times when everything wasn't okay. During the quest, Jason remembered someone from Camp Jupiter.

"Her name is Reyna," he said, a smile gracing his normally stoic face, "I'm sorry, Piper, but, but I think that I really love her."

He paused a moment and then almost as an afterthought added, "I'm sorry, but I need to at least give her the chance."

She told him that it was fine and that he needed to do what he thought was right but the truth was that it wasn't. It was not_ fine_. It was not even remotely close to _fine_. Piper was still hurt; her first real relationship, one that she'd thought proved that people could like her for more than just her pretty face and her father's fame was built on lies and crumbled the moment that she had tried to make it. She felt like she was going to scream because life wasn't fair, it wasn't anywhere close to it.

When she arrived back at Camp Half-blood, she avoided both Jason and Leo for a quite some time. Seeing the boy that smashed her heart certainly wasn't going to help, and as much as she loved Leo, she could use a break from him. A poor quality joke and a friendly smile weren't going to heal her broken heart.

* * *

Eventually, she found herself crying in Annabeth's arms because the girl had seemed so nice when she'd met her and Piper needed someone to talk to or, in this case, a shoulder to cry on. Annabeth held her for a while and then she tried her hardest to make her feel better and solve and problem. Surprisingly, Piper actually felt, well, good by the time she'd finished crying. Annabeth had told her that Jason couldn't see the great person right in front of him and wasn't worth her time, and for some reason, coming from Annabeth this actually helped. She told Piper that they needed to hang out because she seemed great.

Piper would be the first to say that she knew that wasn't a healthy way to start a relationship but chances are, it was more healthy than building one on false memories. Especially when she learned that Jason had someone to go home to, but after her talk with Annabeth, she it didn't feel as hurt anymore. Piper had loved the attention that Annabeth offered her and she was more than ready to become friends.

* * *

She and Annabeth became friends both quickly and easily. The two fit together seamlessly. Annabeth didn't scoff at her problems and would listen to her rants and occasionally tease her or offer a solution. Before long, the friendship was less based on the fact that Piper liked the attention that Annabeth gave her than the fact that she just liked Annabeth. She legitimately liked spending time with her. Annabeth had the most interesting thoughts and she was easy and fun to talk to and Piper could be herself with her. Sometimes she might tease her, but Annabeth didn't judge her, no matter what, and that was something Piper was growing to love about her.

When Piper casually slipped the fact that her father was the world famous _Tristan McLean_ into a conversation, Annabeth didn't care. She didn't look at Piper any differently than she ever had and it made Piper's heart soar that Annabeth didn't care whether her father was a famous actor or a god or a hobo or a dead communist. Annabeth didn't care that she'd withheld the information up until this point and now that it was out in the open, she didn't care either.

When Piper asked her why, Annabeth replied, "Actually, my good friend Thalia, Jason's sister, her mother was a movie star, too. And Rachel's parents are among the wealthiest people in the world. Why would I think of you any differently because your dad is a successful actor? I got over the fact that Percy's dad and my mom are rivals." And then Annabeth got a sad look; the same one she always got upon mention of Percy. Piper turned the conversation to one of Leo's crazy antics in an attempt to lighten the mood, but she was still filled with happiness because she finally met someone that liked her for her, no matter how cheesy and sentimental that might sound.

* * *

Sometimes, they would spar because Annabeth would insist that Piper needed to be able to defend herself on this quest. Piper was sure that it was just because the girl liked knocking her on her ass, and she would voice this opinion. Annabeth would reply, "I do like your ass." And she would attempt a seductive grin and Piper would laugh.

* * *

Other times, Annabeth would end up crying on_ her_ shoulder. Annabeth, it seemed had ghosts that few people knew about. To the rest of the camp, she was the stoic hero from the Athena Cabin, best friend of Percy Jackson and someone that you should never_ ever _mess with. Piper knew that Annabeth was all of these things, but she was so much more. She was also a scared little girl traveling with Luke and Thalia, a girl who thought that her father didn't love her and a girl who couldn't save her older brother from a fate worse than death.

While getting to know her, Piper had learned that Annabeth's fatal flaw was pride, and that nothing hurt her more than being unable to save someone because she was _Annabeth Chase, Daughter of Athena. _She could defeat monsters, and finish impossible quests, but if she couldn't save the people that she cared about most, what good was she? And in that moment of vulnerability- when she saw the real Annabeth- a girl whose main desire was to protect the few people she cared about and whose main fear was failure, it hit her. She'd fallen in love.

It wasn't as though she'd fallen in love all at once. Piper supposed that it had been a slow process. She remembered the way that Annabeth's smile had made her heart flutter lately and that seeing Annabeth was always what she looked forward to, but she didn't know that she'd fallen quite so far. She didn't know that she, the daughter of Aphrodite who refused to fall in love with the attractive boy she knew only from faked memories could actually fall in love. But the way that she embraced Annabeth and felt that she wanted to shield her from the world, ensure that Annabeth could never fail again, she knew that she was deeply, passionately in love. Right now her only desire was to ensure that Annabeth never felt so powerless again.

* * *

Not long after her epiphany, Piper could no longer hold in her feelings. During a sparring match, she told Annabeth precisely how she felt.

"Piper," Annabeth said, easily knocking Piper's knife from her fingers, "You're off your game today, normally you put up a bit more of a fight." The tone was masked with humor, but the concern was real.

"I know," Piper said, bending down to pick up her dagger, "But there's been something else on my mind."

Annabeth gave her a puzzled look, and Piper knew why. It was a rare occasion when _Annabeth _couldn't tell what someone was thinking, and apparently, she was being left in the dark right now.

"I-I like you Annabeth," Piper said, taking a sudden interest in her own neon yellow shoe laces.

"What?" Annabeth asked. A look of confusion, a rare occurrence for Annabeth, settled on her face.

Piper plucked up her courage and she looked Annabeth right in the eye, "I like you, Annabeth Chase."

And then Annabeth smiled at her and said, "And I you, Piper _McLean."_

* * *

They had their first kiss the first time that Piper ever beat Annabeth while sparring, even if she wasn't able to hold on to her victory.

Piper had knocked Annabeth's knife out of her hands and pinned _Katropis _to her throat. Then Annabeth smiled at her and put her hand on Piper's cheek. Piper should her seen it coming, but she lowered her knife for a moment and then Annabeth pressed her lips onto Piper's. They moved against each other for a moment and Piper thought it was the most heavenly thing she'd ever felt. But then Piper felt her dagger being stolen from her hand and then Annabeth broke the kiss. Annabeth pressed _Katropis_ to Piper's own throat.

"You should have seen that coming," Annabeth had teased afterwards, "You should never let your opponent _distract _you." Piper almost allowed herself a sarcastic retort, but then she saw the smile that lit Annabeth's face and remembered how much it had wrenched her heart when Annabeth had been sobbing. Piper would accept any defeat if Annabeth would always be this happy.

* * *

Eventually, she found herself on the Argo II on the way to Camp Jupiter, with Annabeth asleep on her shoulder. Her girlfriend's hair was brushing softly against her cheek and smelled faintly of strawberry. She took the liberty of running her fingers through it, though they lightly caught on a tangled curl. This was the only time Annabeth seemed peaceful and at ease. Piper found it sad that she had to be asleep in order to feel this way, but considering the fact that the apocalypse was marching towards them and Annabeth's best friend was missing, it was understandable. She still didn't want to let Annabeth feel powerless even though, in reality, they kind of were. They were all pawns of the gods.

Piper almost laughed at how futile this situation was, but then she remembered that this was the sort of feeling that nearly drove Annabeth mad, this feeling of powerlessness. She wished that she could just whisk her away and make sure she never felt that way. It was funny; Piper didn't remember when she started to care more about Annabeth and making her feel better than the fact that Annabeth made her feel happy. She didn't know when she started to care more about Annabeth than she did about herself. It must have been around the time that she fell in love. She gently caressed her girlfriend's hair and remembered one of the lullabies her dad used to sing her. She'd never sung one for another person. She decided that she might as well now, and in a low tone she sang, "Nothing's gonna harm you, not while I'm around."

The very idea made Piper giggle because honestly, Annabeth was much stronger than she. Annabeth didn't actually need any protection, but Piper still felt the urge to protect her. She wanted to sing her lullabies and make her feel eternal bliss. Annabeth had gone through so much shit in her life, and honestly, Piper just wanted to be able to make it better. Piper would do her best to make sure that Annabeth always felt as happy as she made Piper feel.

* * *

**A.N: And that's all, folks. :) **


End file.
